HS BASE: Cornerstone Christian repeats as D7 champs

By Gerry Gittelson
Special to the Daily News

RIVERSIDE - Cornerstone Christian High of Camarillo has just 70 students, but there sure are a lot of good baseball players.

For the second year in a row, Cornerstone Christian won the Southern Section Div. VII title, defeating Milken Community of Los Angeles 5-1 in the championship game today afternoon at UC Riverside.

After going undefeated last year, Cornerstone Christian (24-3) has won 46 of 49 games over two seasons, including 10 consecutive playoff victories.

"We're really excited to win back-to-back championships. Not a lot of schools get to do that," winning pitcher Nathan Roth said.

Roth (10-1) pitched 5 1/3 innings, giving up one earned run on five hits with five strikeouts, and twin brother Aaron Roth pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings for his fourth save (three in the playoffs), as Cornerstone Christian played errorless defense.

Camarillo Christian's Mark Stover was 2 for 2 with one RBI, one run and a stolen base. Nick Alpers added a hit, a run and an RBI, plus a running over-the-shoulder catch in shallow right field to end a Milken Community rally in the third inning.

"When I first saw that popup, I didn't think it was going to go so far, so I just kept running," Alpers said. "It worked out."

Cornerstone Christian scored its first two runs on sacrifice flies by Stover in the first inning and Aaron Roth in the third before rallying for three runs in the sixth, highlighted by Joey Aliano's run-scoring double.

For three consecutive innings beginning in the second, Milken Community (19-5) had runners in scoring position but came up empty.

"It was frustrating, but what can you do?" said Milken Community pitcher Ben Ludewig (7-1). "We hit the ball hard but right at people. There's not much more you can do."

Ludewig allowed five earned runs on five hits and three walks with three wild pitches and four strikeouts.

"We made too many mistakes, and they capitalized," Milken Community coach Chris Scarlata said. "They're a very good team. I congratulate them."

Featuring mostly players from the San Fernando Valley, Milken was trying to win its first section championship in any sport.

Milken Community's Greg Kahan doubled and scored on Mitchell Mayer's double in the sixth inning.

gerry.gittelson@dailynews.com

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Southern Section baseball championship
Div. VII
at UC Riverside

Cornerstone Christian 5, Milken Community 1

Milken 000 001 0 - 1-6-2
Cornerstone 101 003 x - 5-5-0

B. Ludewig and Gitman; N. Roth,
A. Roth (6) and M. Stover. W-N. Roth (10-1);
L-Ludewig (7-1). S-A. Roth (4). 2B-CC: M. Stover, Aliano;
M: Kahan, Mayer, Lavin.
.

R: CC 24-3; M 19-5